


in the recess of my mind

by CuteQoobee



Series: Hermione [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, F/M, Gen, Gryffindor Common Room, Mentioned Ron Weasley, Pre-Relationship, Yule Ball (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23831101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuteQoobee/pseuds/CuteQoobee
Summary: There’s always a memory that embeds itself into the recess of your mind. For Hermione, it’s the night of the Yule Ball.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Fred Weasley, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Series: Hermione [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718266
Comments: 16
Kudos: 100





	in the recess of my mind

December 25th, 1994

The night of the Yule Ball was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the Gryffindor common room. Dilapidated squashy armchairs and rickety old tables that were usually ensconced by students sat abandoned, their inhabitants too busy reveling in the night’s activities.

The only people left in the room were a small group of first-years and a teenage girl lying flat on her back on the sofa in front of the merrily crackling fire, on the other side of the room. She was a skinny, brown-haired girl and her normally bushy hair lay sleek and shiny underneath her head.

On the whole, Hermione thought she ought to be congratulated for her idea of laying in the common room. With her short stature, the only way she would be spotted was if anyone ventured to warm their hands in front of the fire before going up to their dormitories. It was not as comfortable as her bed, but on the other hand, she didn’t think she could handle Lavender and Parvati’s gushing, or worse, questions regarding how her night went. 

This thought brought on another, and she wondered whether there would come a day when the circumstances sent to try her - namely Ron Weasley - would prove too much and she would go mad once and for all. Hermione repressed a snort with difficulty. Knowing her luck, madness probably manifested differently for wizards than Muggles, and she’d end up turning into a harpy and have to resort to living in a cave like Sirius. Hermione turned her body to face the fire, making a mental reminder to find a book in the library about the topic just in case. She closed her eyes, relishing the heat that danced across her face.

A loud, shrill _crack _broke the sleepy silence of the common room like a gunshot. Several things happened in quick succession; a shriek, a thud and the sound of chairs sliding came from across the room. Hermione bolted upright, her eyes looking over the back of the sofa to a group of students crowded around a small boy rolling on the floor. Her eyes widened knowingly as she spotted the Exploding Snap cards on the old table beside them.__

__She watched them absentmindedly for a few minutes, laughing when a card exploded on another student. The sound drew a glance and one of the boys nudged his friend, whispering something in his ear. So much for remaining unseen, she thought, as she turned her head back to the hearth._ _

__Hermione sat up, resting her neck onto the sofa and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Looking back, she supposed the evening had started out well enough. She remembered glancing outside the windows before she met Viktor. Outside, everything was blanketed in snow, and with the lights glittering from Hogsmeade, it felt like the most wondrous December evening she had ever seen. At the time, she’d never thought she’d be subjected to yet another injustice on a night fashioned entirely for merriment. Now, as she sat on the sofa with her arms hugging her knees, she felt stupid for not expecting it._ _

___“ _Next time there’s a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort _!” _ ____ _ ___

____Naturally, when she voiced that thought, and saw Ron’s gobsmacked expression - she couldn’t help but feel as if she’d won. Won what, exactly, had been unclear, especially when that victorious feeling slowly crept away as she stood there, stupidly waiting for Ron to say something that wouldn’t suggest the entire night was ruined._ _ _ _

____Of course he did anything but._ _ _ _

____She groaned and hid her face in her hands. How stupid could she be, expecting Ron to voice the feelings that she couldn't bring up to him. She fought the hot, angry tears in her eyes, looking over to the gigantic pile of parchment on the table to her right - primarily drafts of her old essays - and set out to make at least one thing go her way that night. She grabbed a few pieces of paper, placed her hands on top of the parchment and angrily pulled._ _ _ _

____The ripping sound overtook her ears, and like a woman possessed, Hermione ripped, again and again, until there were only pieces left in her lap. She gathered them into her fist and tossed them into the fire, relishing the rhythmic crackling of the flames as they devoured the parchment. Once she finished with the ripped pieces in her lap, she grabbed more parchment to start the process all over again._ _ _ _

_____Rip _._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Toss _. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Crackle _. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Time passed, and the common room around her filled up, then emptied as students came back from the ball and headed for their dorms. Hermione kept ripping._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________It was past midnight and the common room was deserted, with only the quiet hum of the fire as Hermione’s stalwart companion. In the dark room, her eyes felt heavy. She fought off a yawn with little success. Hermione rose halfway out of the sofa ready to head back, when at that precise moment, a creaking sound behind her alerted her about the new group of students clambering in through the portrait door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Hermione paused. There was an uneasy feeling in her chest as she watched Angelina and George laughing gaily with Fred sauntering in behind them, his hands in his pockets. A pang of jealousy fired off in her chest as she observed the scene. She turned her head away, not wanting them to catch sight of her, and sank low into the couch, looking resignedly at the much smaller pile of parchment beside her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Sickle for your thoughts,” remarked an all-too-familiar voice from behind. Hermione groaned internally._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You’d have to offer me more than a sickle if you want to hear my thoughts Fred,” she looked up at him, lifting her chin defiantly, trying to ignore the crack in her voice._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Don’t go acting all high and mighty on me now, Granger,” he was smiling, but there was a small moment when he glanced at her with worry, before he bent down to sit beside her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She turned her head to look at the threadbare hearthrug, pretending as if she couldn’t feel Fred’s eyes watching her. Hermione was not in much of a mood for talking at the moment. When she continued not acknowledging him, he turned his head to look at George - waiting on the staircase, waving him off with a tilt of his hand._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He left. Fred waited until he had disappeared through the door to his dormitory, then cleared his throat. “What’s made you so upset that you’re,” his eyes flitted to the parchment beside her, “sitting with parchment at midnight.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’m not telling you. You’d never stop teasing me about it,” she said crossly, folding her arms over her chest protectively._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’d never tease about the things that really matter,” he replied unconcernedly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, don’t give me that rubbish,” she scoffed. At his puzzled glance, she said, “I suppose you don’t recall all the times I’ve seen you tease Ron about his fear of spiders.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________There was a pause._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“It may seem that we always get people where it hurts but,” he said in a measured voice. There was a serious note there that made Hermione look to Fred. “Spiders. Sure, I’ve mocked him plenty about that. But you’ve never heard me tease Ron about how he feels like he can’t live up to the rest of us or Ginny about her first year. There _are _things that we consider off-limits."____________

____

____

__________Hermione mulled his words over. “Ron and I got into a fight earlier. He was pretty miffed about me going to the ball with Viktor.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Fred scratched the back of his neck hastily. For some reason, he looked rather embarrassed. “I erm... I actually heard you guys arguing earlier. It’s why I came to... look, we all know Ron can be a bit daft, but his heart’s in the right -”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Hermione found this such an inadequate response to everything that had happened tonight that she couldn’t help but cut Fred off bitterly. “I’m sure it is, but to me, Ron’s the hateful toad that’s ruined my night. So forgive me if I don’t give a flying fig about his feelings right now.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Fred, whom Hermione had expected to react angrily on Ron’s behalf, only sighed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Right then, what are you going to do about it? If I were you, I’d ask myself, do I want to draw the punishment out, perhaps a silent treatment for a week,” said Fred, shifting further into the sofa. He rested his arms on top and continued, “Or would I want to make it fast and painful, like knocking Ron out with a bat?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“What?” She looked back at him, thoroughly bewildered. He shrugged, leaning forward nonchalantly to grab some parchment for himself. He crumpled the paper into a ball, and tossed it into the fire, leaning back to admire the view._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I was thinking that I could prank him.” she said quietly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Fred’s eyes went wide. The shock on his face was so comical it made Hermione laugh softly. “Is it really that difficult for you to consider?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Do you need ideas?” Fred says, in a tone that suggested he didn’t quite believe what he was saying._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Hermione felt a smile playing at the tips of her mouth. “That depends, do you have anything that comes to mind?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well actually...” his voice was steadier now, “Hold on,” he reached into his robe, pulling out a small notebook. He rummaged through the book, reading ideas under his breath as he flipped through the pages. Finally, he seemed to give up on the book altogether._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“How about a classic? Use a sticking charm to fix a toilet seat to Ron’s head. If you toss in a few sickles we can get a freshly used seat.” he said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She scrunched her nose. “Seems a bit disgusting. What else do you have?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He opened his book again, flipping through a few more pages, before staring down at one particular idea for a few seconds. He pointed to a barely legible scrawl in the middle of the page. She leaned in to read it better._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Word activated pie face?” She read out loud._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yeah, everytime they say a word, say... ‘quidditch’, they get pied in the face. We spent a while trying to work around Gamp's Law for it, but we figured it out a few days ago. I was originally thinking of doing that one on Lee but we can easily change it around to prank Ron.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“How about this one instead?” She pointed at the bottom of the page, where he’d hastily scratched in _Midas touch? _. “We could do it so that everything he touches becomes pink and frilly - like his robes.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He grinned rakishly and clapped Hermione on the back. “I’m glad to see you’re finally getting your priorities straight.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Hermione smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say. They fell back into an easy silence as he stopped to put his notebook back into his robes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Krum, eh? How did that happen?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Hermione was instantly on edge again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Why, do you wanna have a go too? Accuse me of fraternizing with the enemy?” she said waspishly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He raised his eyebrows, “No, just curious.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She eyed him for a minute but then said, slowly. “He’s at the library almost every day. Said he was working up the courage to talk to me. And since I’m at the library all the time - ”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You? Gryffindor’s star quidditch player? In the library?” Fred feigned shock._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She let out an unattractive snort. “Well, it didn’t quite work out the way he wanted anyways. We only started talking after I told him off for disturbing the peace in the library.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I can picture that.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She smiled, pink patches glowing on her cheeks. “After that, he seemed to find some reason or other to come talk to me. It was nice to have someone to talk to who could keep up with what I was saying. When the Yule Ball was announced, he asked me and I said yes.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She knew perfectly well that this was more information than Fred had asked for, but he seemed to be listening attentively so she continued. “It’s just - it was my first wizarding ball, and I had a date! First chance I got, I went to Gladrags with Ginny and got this,” she gestured to her robes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“She might have been the only one who truly knew how much I’d been looking forward to it. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t out of place, so I also read up on all these traditional wizarding dances, you know, like the Prancing Pixie. Even practiced them in my room. I thought I’d surprise Harry and Ron with all this, share a dance or two with them but, that’s not what happened.” She ended quietly, gazing miserably at the hem of her periwinkle robes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Her face felt hot; she did not want to look at Fred. Hermione deliberately dropped her paper and bent down to retrieve it. She tossed the paper into the fire, watching as it curled into the flames._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Well, I’m neither Harry or Ron but...,” Fred said slowly, “If you still want that dance, I’m dying to learn the Prancing Pixie.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Hermione sat motionless, gazing into the fireplace as she considered Fred’s suggestion. Finally coming to a decision, she turned to look at him, nodding slowly. He beamed at her, wasting no time in standing up and offering her his arm. She stood, placing her hand delicately into his, and followed Fred as he led them towards the record player near the other side of the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Fred took out his wand, muttered, _“Musicorum!" _and opening notes of the music began to play.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Okay, lead me through the dance.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“First, we need to bring our hands together, like we’re trying to do two handshakes, one on top of the other,” she said as she brought her hands up in the air in front of her. He copied her movement._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Then we move them...like this,” she said as she flapped her arms in demonstration, “At the same time, we move clockwise with our feet, in a circle, see. Oh, and make sure that you’re bending down and turning your head every second count.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Fred’s smile slowly disappeared as she continued talking._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Alright so let’s try it from the beginning. Hands at the ready!” Hermione put her hands into the air. Fred followed a beat later._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Right, now we circle…the other way Fred.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Sorry, I thought -”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“It’s alright, we can just start again.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________They stopped dancing. Hermione took a breath, straightening her back, and began to lead again. This time they had been dancing for barely a minute when, “Fred, I said we were supposed to do a chassé here. Honestly, it's like you don't even know what a cha-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I don't,” said Fred, doing some kind of two-step around Hermione. She whirled around to face him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Well, why didn’t you say so -”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“You didn’t ask.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She stared up at Fred intently. “Would you like it if I demonstrated the dance to you first and then tried to guide you through it.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He nodded. She began to describe the dance again, making sure to demonstrate the steps multiple times before progressing. Fred stared at her with an odd expression on his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Now, you’d twirl like so…” she demonstrated the movement, at which Fred burst out laughing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“This dance! It’s certifiable!” He roared with laughter. “You’d have to be a prat to dance like that in public. Admit it Granger, you’re having me on.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I am not,” Hermione felt the ridiculous urge to stomp her foot. “It was an extremely popular wizarding dance in the 1600s, started by Hendrik of Cornwall, a famous magizoologist who created it in reverence of the mating habits of pixies.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Was Hendrik of Cornwall, you know, huffing something when he made the dance?” Fred made a motion with his fingers, looking extremely pleased with himself at the affronted look she gave him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Hermione heaved a very deep sigh. “Are you going to try the dance or not?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“’Course I am. I said I would, didn’t I?” Fred said brightly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Fred flourished his hand dramatically, and the two surged forward, dancing together in earnest. It was about two minutes in that Hermione learned a few new things about Fred. One was the realization that Fred was a _terrible dancer _. However, what he lacked in dancing ability, Fred more than made up for with his exuberance.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She deliberately stepped back, keeping her eyes fixed on Fred as he danced. He’d begun to sing along to the music, head thrown back as he flung himself around without a care in the world. He continued moving, failing to notice the rickety tables and chairs right behind him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“ _Fred! _” Hermione cried out. He opened his eyes mid-turn, startled, but it was already too late.__________________

____

____

__________________CRASH _. _____________________

____

____

__________________Fred, who was lying flat on the floor, with the chair he’d futilely tried to grab on top of him, looked dazedly at Hermione. “How did that chair -”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________But the rest of his words were drowned out by the deep, hearty sounds of Hermione’s laughter. Fred looked at her incredulously, his mouth hanging open in shock._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I’m pretty sure you just created a new dance!” she choked out between peals of laughter. “The Falling Fred! Started by Fred Weasley in reverence of his relationship _with the ground _.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Oh you think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Fred narrowed his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Yes.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Well, let’s see about that!” Fred leapt towards Hermione. She let out a small shriek as she backed away, hair flying madly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________They shuffled around the room, each trying and failing to trip the other. She laughed loudly as he chased her, dodging him by running in between furniture. Hermione stumbled forward and in the next moment, Fred had seized her hands, holding them within his, helping her regain her balance. They shrugged and began to dance along with the music._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________When a slow song came on, Fred led her through the most exaggerated waltz she’d ever danced. One song faded into another, and the two kept dancing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Hermione looked up at Fred, taking in the radiant smile on his face. At the moment, with his flushed face, hair sticking to his face and his eyes crinkled at the corners as he tried to sing like the Weird Sisters, he looked so...dashing that her heart seemed to swell. She beamed up at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“That’s more like it, Miss Granger,” he tutted enthusiastically, twirling her in and attempting to dip her. Still dizzy from her twirl, Hermione fell to the ground, dragging Fred down behind her. She laughed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Still laying on the floor, Hermione breathlessly turned to Fred, who was laughing besides her and said, “Thank you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He grinned, before reaching up and running a hand through his hair. It only had the effect of making his hair appear even more tousled than before._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“OY! WHAT'S WITH THE RACKET?! Some of us are trying to sleep!” A tinny voice yelled out from the foot of the boy's staircase. Hermione looked over to the boy's staircase where one of the kids from earlier was standing, bleary-eyed and in his pyjamas._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The two watched in stunned silence as the kid stomped back up the stairs and slammed the door to his dormitory. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Fred. Hermione’s lip twitched and the two began to laugh, trying to shush each other without much success._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________After that, it seemed like there was nothing stopping the two from talking. Because as it turned out, dancing was much like knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll, you can’t get through it without liking the other person._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________\----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The next day at breakfast, when he mouthed “ _Alright, Granger? _”, she couldn’t help but think that there was more to Fred Weasley than she may have ever considered.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Spells Used:  
> Musicorum - made up spell, I used it to suggest turning music on


End file.
